Running in the Rain

Writers: Curious, Estelle
Date Posted: 6th March 2024

Characters: L'keri, K'rel
Description: L'keri meets new transfer K'rel while out running
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 8 of Turn 10

L'keri

L'keri trudged out of his weyr and held up a hand to feel a light
drizzle spattering on his palm. **Raining. Typical.** Still, at least it
wasn't snowing, and the rain might be a relief after a half-candlemark
of slogging around the running track that led along the upper plateau
and around by the lake.

As much as he wanted to go back to bed, force of habit and the thought
of more withering lectures from the healers about his fitness drew him
up the steps from the weyr levels to the top of the cliffs, where he
began his stretches. He wasn't alone, at least. A group of beastcrafters
passed him on their way to the pens, grumbling at the rain, and he could
see a few distant figures of riders, earlier risers than him, already
running at a steady pace.

K'rel liked the rain. It meant that he didn't need to worry about
getting hot and sweaty as he was exercising. Besides, it smelled so
refreshing! Sure, it could make it a little hard to see at times, but he
didn't have to worry about that during a light drizzle like this. Even
when the downpour was heavy enough to cause problems, it was worth it
for the otherwise pleasant sensations.

Not that everyone agreed.

Perhaps it was a little rude to start conversations with random
strangers, but he was in a chatty mood and couldn't help but notice a
stretching man who looked none too happy. Pulling up beside him, he
offered an affable grin. "Not too fond of the rain?" he asked.

L'keri looked up and saw a dark-haired man, not someone he recognized
but with the manner of a dragonrider. "Not too fond of running," he
replied with a rueful grimace. "But it has to be done." He could put it
off for a minute or two by chatting, though, so he held out a hand in
greeting. "L'keri, rider of Rhalith. You're new here?"

K'rel chuckled lightly. "That obvious, huh?" He shook L'keri's hand and
nodded. "K'rel, rider of Zolinth. We just transferred in from Fort."

"A northerner, eh? Welcome to Dragonsfall, K'rel." L'keri resumed his
stretching. "Whose Wing are you flying with?"

"Thank you," K'rel replied. "I fly with the Weyrleader's wing. Azure, I
think it's called?"

"That's the one." He grinned. "The Weyrleader's wing, eh? Then you're a
high flyer. Quite literally."

K'rel chuckled. "I think I'd go insane if I wasn't. I always need to be
doing my best at any given time." A pause, then, "No offense to the
lower wings, of course."

"None taken," L'keri replied easily. Although they'd never met before,
he'd have bet any amount of marks he was talking to a bronzerider - that
was the kind of thing bronzeriders said. Plus, it was hard to get
annoyed at someone who was getting as wet as he was. He finished his
stretch and looked resignedly out at the track. "Better get running, I
suppose?"

"I suppose so," K'rel said. "Would you like some company to ease your
misery?"

"If you can distract me from the pain, I'd certainly welcome it." L'keri
shook out his arms and legs to loosen his muscles, then started to jog
around the track. He took it slowly as he warmed up, alert for any
twinges of pain from his recently healed leg, but so far all seemed
well. "So, how are you finding Dragonsfall? Is it much of a change?"

K'rel chuckled. "I'll do my best." With that, he started to jog - far
more easy than poor L'keri, although he kept his pace slow for the other
rider's sake. "I haven't been finding it much of anything yet," he said.
"Haven't been here for long enough. But it's certainly different from
home. The entire continent is, really."

"I've heard the Holds are, and the Halls." L'keri knew that some of the
crafters at the Weyr were northern-trained, those that hadn't learned at
the Weyr itself, thanks to the bans on female crafters. "What's it like
at Fort? I know it's very ancient, older even than the Southern weyrs."

"Imposing," K'rel said. "There's a lot of pressure to uphold standards
and tradition, especially as a bronzerider. But... It was more free
there than it was in the South. More opportunities for everyone. Of
course, that's a matter of continents rather than Weyrs."

"Yes, that's certainly true in the Holds over here." L'keri had never
lived in one himself, but he'd heard stories from other riders. Their
ideas and traditions about women all seemed very odd to him. "And I
suppose it's different when a Weyr only opened up a decade or so ago,
even if it does have all of that history. I remember some of the riders
in my Wing went North when that happened, but Rhalith and I were happy
enough where we were."

K'rel nodded. "I suppose I didn't think about it that way. Fort is
ancient, but it /does/ have a degree of flexibility that I appreciated."
He pondered his words for a moment before shooting L'keri a curious
glance. "Why are you happy here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"My wingmates," L'keri replied immediately. He'd built strong bonds with
them since his return - both those who he'd known from his childhood in
River Bluff and the newer faces. After all the trouble he'd got into
elsewhere, he felt as though he'd finally found his home. "And the other
friends I've made since I came to Dragonsfall. Now I've settled in, I
wouldn't be anywhere else."

K'rel nodded approvingly. "I hope that I'll be able to say the same
soon," he murmured, as much to himself as L'keri.

"I expect so. We're a friendly bunch here." L'keri's words were
interrupted with puffs of breath as he settled in to the run. "At least,
we are in Cyan. It's a little more relaxed than the Weyrleader's Wing,
despite our Wingleader's best efforts - and if Azure has all the high
achievers, we definitely have the best parties." He grinned. "Come and
join us at one sometime if you like. You won't be the only one - there's
a couple of Azure greenriders who're in regular attendance."

"I'll think about it," K'rel said. "Just promise that you won't be upset
if I mostly stick to the background."

"Not a problem. We've got plenty of riders already who like to be the
centre of attention." L'keri was one of those himself, where parties
were concerned. "No pressure - but if you feel like coming out one
restday eve, just have Zolinth ask Rhalith whose weyr is hosting."

K'rel grinned. "Will do."

Last updated on the March 9th 2024

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Running in the Rain